Mets have Too Many Uniforms
During the Mets 2014 opening homestand, they displayed all three of their home uniforms. That is three jerseys in six games. On the upcoming road trip we are sure to see both road jerseys. That is five different uniforms, which is just too many.
No team needs five uniforms. They need to get rid of two of them. But which ones?
Well, here are the home jerseys:
The cream pinstriped jersey introduced a couple of seasons ago is a classic, reminiscent of the early days of the Mets. It is a very sharp look and should not go anywhere.
Everybody loves the new alternate blue uniforms, which essentially replaced the black jerseys that everybody grew to hate. This one, too, should stay.
Then we have the white, which is a nice looking jersey, but the cream uniforms render it obsolete. There is just no need for it anymore and it should be sent backing.
Now to the road uniforms:
The road gray is also a classic, and since they got rid of the black backdrop on the lettering, it also looks like the Mets early uniforms. Of course it stays.
Which brings us to the blue. The road blue does not measure up to the home blue because of the lettering. It is almost a silver and it just looks weird with the blue and orange piping. There is no reason to have two “New York” road uniforms.
What the Mets can do to vary their look on the road is to wear the blue home jerseys on the road sometimes. There is no rule that says a road jersey has to have the city name on it. At various times in their history, the Dodgers road jersey just said “Dodgers,” for example.
So three uniforms — home and away, and an alternate to be worn anywhere. It just makes more sense. Plus it might save some money for the penny-pinching Mets.
Speaking of money, teams introduce different uniforms in part for marketing and sales. Well, they can still sell the white and road blues because they were worn in games. You can probably still find black jerseys somewhere!
While we’re making changes, can we get rid of the alternate hat that the Mets wear with the blue jerseys?
The white backdrop on the “NY” looks wrong, like some cheap knockoff logo. The orange bill is not particularly attractive, either. The classic Mets hat is perfect the way it is, and it goes with the blue jerseys as well.
Also, I am not crazy about the Mr. Met patch on the blue uniforms. We all love Mr. Met as a mascot, but does he really belong on the jersey? It looks kind of silly.
I just think they are trying to sell more merchandise to fans
Mark,
Your best post of the young season! I totally agree with everything you wrote. Have you noticed the sweatshirts that all of MLB is wearing? They all have the same design, etc.. Talk about merchandising. No sense of uniqueness. Every team has the sweatshirt. “_________” (fill in the team name) Baseball.
Mark please don’t get a swell head. You and I will tussle over Sandy Alderson again.
JJ
I agree about the orange bill. It looks like it belongs on a little league field. Also, I think that like what the Giants and Red Sox do for home games, the names should not be on the back just like they did from 62 to 78 and briefly in 99.
I look forward to it, JJ!
Maybe instead of spending money on uniforms they should have spent money on getting players to fill those uniforms!
Yes, I agree with all that you said – two home uni’s, one road, and the ability to wear the dark blue shirts from the home shirt makes sense, and NO ORANGE BILLS!
I agree with practically all of this. At home, I would go one step further and not only eliminate the home white alternate, but change the fabric color of the pinstriped unis from off-white back to white. (Uniforms were not off-white back then; the fabric yellows with age which is why vintage jerseys look that way today, but when they were new, they were white.) In the alternative, if they insist on keeping all three home uniforms, they could switch the pinstripes to white and the pinstripeless alternates to off-white. The former would match the original and the latter would be a nice “fauxback.”
On the road, if they have to wear a blue jersey I’d rather it be the “NEW YORK” version than the home version. I wouldn’t mind getting rid of the blues altogether; the Mets’ current road gray is, IMHO, the best-looking uniform in baseball.
You’re missing a jersey for 2014… Theres 6!
The previous poster is right. The cream color pinstripes are nice- but it isn’t a real color. Everyone talks like it is a throwback. From when? Here is a photo of Koos’ jersey from ’69- it’s white- not cream, not off white- white.
http://s88.photobucket.com/user/whhp72/media/1kooz3.jpg.html
Everyone talks like the current Mets uniforms are throwbacks of versions from their heyday- jerseys with a rich history. Hate to say it- but not so. They wore the blacks and the snow whites and the black drop shadow pinstripes for 13 seasons and the home and away stayed practically the same every year during that period 1998-2010. Hell- the racing stripe ’80’s jerseys were around for nine seasons. But the black era was the most stable uniform period of the last 36 years.
As for the snow whites- I would rather have a white alt top than a softball top. Color belongs in the NFL- this is baseball- White and Grey.
Complain about the crappy team the Wilpins field- because the uniforms are merely window treatment on a house with no roof and it is raining.
I agree with almost everything you said. Home pinstripes, road grays, and one blue alt to wear either home or road. And the traditional hat to be worn with all uniforms. The only part I disagreed with is the pinstripe jerseys being a cream color. I really feel they should go back to white. To me, the cream doesn’t look “vintage,” it just looks dirty.
I very much agree about the pinstripes being better than the whites. To me, some form of the pinstripes will always be the REAL Mets uniform. I remember the last game at Shea, which of course was crucial as the Mets still had a chance to make the playoffs. I was out all day for work reasons and listened to the game on the radio. When I got home, I watched some of the replay, and the moment I saw that they hadn’t worn the pinstripes, I thought, no wonder they lost!
Pinstripes at home, greys on the road, one blue alt. Sounds right. And then I’d be OK with the occasional special uni, like the “Los Mets” orange one, which I actually kind of like. Oh, and you don’t even mention the new camo ones this year. Not looking forward to those.
Let’s not forget the lovely new camo jersey. Plus, technically, the black jersey, though not used, is still officially in the rotation. So 5 is really 7.
I agree with nearly everybody that the pinstripes are the best, and should be the ONLY home Mets uniform. If they wear those at home, and gray on the road…thats what works. forget the blue, and forget the stupid orange bill hats. They are SO juvenile. If they have to wear the camos on holidays, fine. I don’t like it though. The only place if ANY for a blue jersey would be an occasional road game. Never at home. I say, back to tradition. Dump the white jerseys, and the blue jerseys, and blue and orange hats…and lets go back to wearing Mets uniforms. Pinstripes at home, and grays on the road. What else do you need?
I totally agree with all you wrote, but not on two points. The first: I couldn’t throw out the alternate white jersey. It’s on the uniforms for years and it’s very beautiful too. And I don’t hate the alternate hats. I love the original and classic blue hats, but it’s too much simple, all that blue and an orange NY. I prefer the alternate. By the way I hate that camouflage jersey. I am not American, but I understand the honor for your military, the patriotism… And don’t agree with some things your Country did and does, but I would like if my Country was patriotic like yours.
How about the special occasion jerseys?like fathers day, memorial day, july 4th, etc!enuff already!